The Memory Weaver

GIVEAWAY

KIRKPATRICK, JANE
THE MEMORY WEAVER

Eliza Spalding Warren was just a child when she was taken hostage by the Cayuse Indians during a massacre in 1847. Now the young mother of two children, Eliza faces a different kind of dislocation; her impulsive husband wants them to make a new start in another territory, which will mean leaving her beloved home and her departed mother's grave--and returning to the land of her captivity. Eliza longs to know how her mother, an early missionary to the Nez Perce Indians, dealt with the challenges of life with a sometimes difficult husband and with her daughter's captivity.

When Eliza is finally given her mother's diary, she is stunned to find that her own memories are not necessarily the whole story of what happened. Can she lay the dark past to rest and move on? Or will her childhood memories always hold her hostage?

My Review:

This fictional biography of Eliza Spalding Warren is a sobering read. I've come away with a new appreciation for the tenacity of the pioneering spirit. And the women in particular.  Every aspect of their lives was determined by the whims of a man, be it father or husband. Their men boasted grandiose dreams and expected the women to scurry around taking care of all the practicalities to make those dreams possible.

Eliza just never seemed evenly yoked. First with her father who tried to control her future without regard for her own wishes and then with a husband who fought his own demons in soul-destroying ways. As if that isn't enough to cope with she is dealing with her own turbulent past. Talk about courageous. Determined. A true overcomer.

Jane Kirkpatrick has a distinctive flare for words that convey depth and meaning even in the simplest of phrases. Like this: "We don't recall the detail in our stories; we remember the experiences." Profound, right? Made me stop and think and then ponder some more. I didn't totally get it until I finished reading Eliza's story. Now I have a glimmer of understanding and don't those words just fit so beautifully with the title, The Memory Weaver?

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of The Memory Weaver please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email address, please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in the address to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so that it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday October 4 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

The Amish Bride

GIVEAWAY

MILLER, EMMA
THE AMISH BRIDE

An Unexpected Courtship

Ellen Beachey's dreams of being a devoted Amish wife and mother are finally within her reach. But she didn't expect she'd have to choose between two brothers. Golden-haired Micah has a heart filled with adventure and a ready smile. Serious but gentle elder brother Neziah is a devoted and caring father of two. But Ellen and Neziah share a heartbreaking past that might prevent any hope of a future. Ellen never imagined an arranged union as a way to find true love. She wants to be loyal to her family, but she needs to follow her heart…if only she can figure out what it wants.

My Review:

Imagine waking up one morning, a busy, single woman with aging parents to care for and a business to run and nary a prospect of a suitor on the horizon. In fact, at thirty-three, Ellen's thinking her hope for a family of her own is likely just a dream. But then an odd encounter with her kindly, though somewhat eccentric, neighbour turns her world upside down. He has two unmarried sons. He thinks it's a simple matter for Ellen to pick one!

An outrageous and funny twist to the popular arranged marriage theme -- though it's an arranged courtship instead of an actual marriage. Miller does an excellent job of presenting both Micah and Neziah as personable would-be suitors. In fact, she's downright clever about keeping her readers guessing as to who Ellen might pick though I had a clear favourite from the beginning.

I think the author has also sown the seeds for future books in the series. I love the community Miller has created and there are a few unmarried individuals I'm hoping find their own way towards a happily ever after.

 A sweet and lighthearted Amish love story.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of The Amish Bride please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email address, please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in the address to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so that it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday October 4 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Falling Like Snowflakes

GIVEAWAY

HUNTER, DENISE
FALLING LIKE SNOWFLAKES

When the Christmas season finds Eden in Summer Harbor, Maine, she's on the run from trouble. Romance is the last thing on her mind.

Riding in a bus in the thickly falling snow, Eden Davis wonders how it ever came to this--fleeing under cover of night with young Micah sleeping fitfully in the seat beside her. When a winter storm strands them in Summer Harbor, Maine, Eden wonders if what might have been the end could be a new beginning.

Beau Callahan is a habitual problem-solver. He's recently left his job with the sheriff's department to take over the family Christmas tree farm to save it from insolvency. But he's flummoxed. During the busiest season of the year, he's shorthanded. Then Eden shows up looking for work, and Beau believes he's been rescued. Competent, smart, and beautiful, Eden's also guarded and quiet. He soon figures out she comes with a boatload of secrets. But Beau can't seem to help himself from falling for her.

As Christmas Eve approaches, Beau discovers he'll do anything to keep Eden safe. But who's going to protect his heart from a woman who can't seem to trust again?  

My Review:

Book One in an exciting new series about the Callahan brothers. Yay -- I love family series -- especially when they involve intriguing and exasperating heroes like the Callahans.

Falling Like Snowflakes is Beau's turn to shine...though I'll admit that he's a bit of a dunderhead in the beginning of the book. Still very appealing, mind, but he does give a reader a few conniption fits until he figures things out. And when he does...Oh. My. Cue the fans. Haul out the fainting couch. Gotta love a man with a singular purpose, especially when it involves the woman he loves. And, of course, that leads to a scrumptious kissing scene that will not only curl your toes but your hair as well! It's the layers of emotion Hunter conveys in that scene -- a wealth of tenderness that made me want to weep. Truly exquisite.

There's an interesting edge to this contemporary romance with Eden being dogged by a danger the author reveals by slow degrees until we finally have the full story. Definitely induces a page-turning frenzy!

And the emotional angst is just as compelling. Eden hasn't had an easy time of it. I admired her tenacity -- her sheer will to overcome every obstacle strewn in her path. She craves independence and balks at the protective restraints Beau would place on her. They both have a lot to learn about each other and the true path to freedom. A stellar beginning to Denise Hunter's new Summer Harbor series.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of Falling Like Snowflakes please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email address, please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in the address to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so that it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday October 4 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

September Giveaway - Week Four

As always, I will contact the winners by email however thanks to the nefarious ways of the Internet my email might land in your spam folder so keep your eyes peeled! :-) If you haven't heard from me by Monday evening please email me your snail mail address at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca From time to time winners and I don't seem to connect, so I have a month time frame. If I can't reach you within four weeks your win will be forfeited.

LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK'S GIVEAWAYS:

The Matchmaker's Match

GIVEAWAY

NELSON, JESSICA
THE MATCHMAKER'S MATCH

He has three months to find a wife—or lose his estate. Spencer, Lord Ashwhite, doubts he'll find a suitable bride among the ton, until the unconventional Lady Amelia Baxley agrees to provide a list of candidates. It should be an ideal arrangement, were Spencer not growing attached to the one woman Amelia refuses to consider as a prospect: herself.

Independence means everything to Amelia, who has been burned in love before. The charming marquis is quickly putting her entire life in turmoil, and controlling her stubborn heart has never been such a challenge. But does the ever-practical Amelia dare to go from bride-finder to wife?

My Review:

I am floating in Regency Heaven!!! Have enjoyed some wonderful stories over the last few months and I'm adding The Matchmaker's Match to the list of this year's must read Regencies.

Cue witty banter and we're off on a beguiling adventure with a rakish hero and a straight-laced lady of an independent nature. Seriously adored Amelia. You just have to love a woman who thinks of life's pivotal moments in capitals. Like The Great Disappointment. I should feel sorry that she had to endure such heartbreak but really I'm filled with glee because this story is the result!

The premise of a matchmaker having the tables turned on her is priceless. Spencer is a heart throb of a hero and maybe just a little too amused by the prim and proper Amelia. He can't resist teasing her and I can't resist swooning every time he does.

A sweet inspirational thread adds an extra zing to this Regency and makes it pretty nigh perfect in my humble opinion.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of The Matchmaker's Match please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email address, please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in the address to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so that it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday September 27 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

The Photograph

GIVEAWAY

LEWIS, BEVERLY
THE PHOTOGRAPH

Eva Esch and her sisters are in a predicament. With the passing of their widowed mother, Eva's older brother plans to move his growing family into the Eden Valley farmhouse where they all grew up, leaving little room for his three single sisters. Unless they marry within the year, the only apparent option is for two sisters to go to Indiana to live with an elderly great aunt. Eva hopes to be married, but she isn't sure she wants to give up her sweet shop for the life of a farmer's wife. And she can't see how her prospects would be any better in Indiana.

When younger sister Lily disappears in the night, leaving only a brief note, Eva fears she has been wooed away from the People by an outsider. And when Jed Stutzman, a young Amish buggy maker from Ohio, shows up at Eva's market stand in Lancaster with a photo of a Plain young woman, Eva's world begins to tilt.

My Review:

There is an understated elegance in the way Beverly Lewis tells a story. The unique cadence of her writer's voice washes over me the second I start reading. It feels like a homecoming of sorts. And this time home is Eden Valley, Pennsylvania. 

Winds of change are sweeping over the Esch family and Eva struggles to hold her own in the midst of the unknown. This is a bittersweet story laden with plenty of emotion and uncertainty as events unfold in this close-knit Amish community. Both Eva and Jed struggle in the aftermath of grief, trusting in the sovereignty of God to sustain them. I love the gentle way their love story unfolds. Definitely a sweet romance that is sure to please Beverly Lewis fans.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of The Photograph please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email address, please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in the address to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so that it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday September 27 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Perfect Alibi

GIVEAWAY

CARLSON, MELODY
PERFECT ALIBI

Seeking refuge...

When her friend is murdered, journalist Mallory Myers knows the killer is coming for her next. The problem is no one believes her—in fact, she's considered a suspect. Her news anchor ex-boyfriend has everyone fooled, but Mallory knows what he's capable of. With no one to trust, she flees to her hometown, where she finds refuge and help from an unexpected source. Fire chief Logan McDaniel is the only one in town willing to believe Mallory. As the murderer toys with her, setting fires and terrorizing her, Logan and Mallory become closer. He vows to protect her and find a way to break the killer's airtight alibi if it's the last thing he does.

My Review:

After writing over 200 novels Melody Carlson has turned her impressive talent to penning her first romantic suspense. She drops her readers right into the middle of a gnarly mess that includes a murder and our heroine fleeing for her life. Her fear is palpable. Tension wrapped my stomach in knots as I accompanied Mallory on her desperate flight. Phew! And there's nothing like a fire fighter hero ready to leap to our heroine's defence even when evidence seems to be stacked against her. A convoluted path of angst and destruction thrusts these two together igniting a sweet romance. A thrill of a read from beginning to end.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of Perfect Alibi please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email address, please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in the address to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so that it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday September 27 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Hungry for Home

GIVEAWAY

ANDERSON, BRENDA S.
HUNGRY FOR HOME

Hungry, Homeless, Heartbroken

 

After a troubling encounter with a pregnant teen, Sheila Peterson-Brooks hurries from the crisis pregnancy center into the frigid Minnesota winter where she is mugged and left for dead. After a frantic search, Richard, her husband, finds her, and the police quickly nab the mugger …

A hungry, homeless teen.
The brother of the pregnant girl Sheila had just counseled.

 

The girl pleads for her brother, and Sheila and Richard choose not to press charges. Instead, they open their home to the boy, a move that could cost them their possessions, and their hearts.
And, in the process, teach them the true meaning of home.

My Review:

A resounding conclusion to the Coming Home series. Anderson tackles tough issues in this realistic family drama. Sheila and Richard are back, striving to create a home for a patchwork kind of family. Their happily ever after isn't turning out exactly how they'd planned. Sheila's observation sums it up rather well: "One thing she'd learned since becoming a Christian nearly two years ago was that when God threw plot twists into their lives, it meant He was up to something."

Those plot twists are surprising. Some touching, some poignant, some heartbreaking. But all eventually  lead towards hope and resolution. Followers of the Coming Home series will delight in this final chapter of the Brooks family.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of Hungry for Home please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email address, please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in the address to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so that it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday September 27 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

A Noble Masquerade

GIVEAWAY

HUNTER, KRISTI ANN
A NOBLE MASQUERADE

Lady Miranda Hawthorne acts every inch the lady, but inside she longs to be bold and carefree. Entering her fourth Season and approaching spinsterhood in the eyes of society, she pours her innermost feelings out not in a diary but in letters to her brother's old school friend, a duke--with no intention of ever sending these private thoughts to a man she's heard stories about but never met. Meanwhile, she also finds herself intrigued by Marlow, her brother's new valet, and although she may wish to break free of the strictures that bind her, falling in love with a servant is more of a rebellion than she planned.

When Marlow accidentally discovers and mails one of the letters to her unwitting confidant, Miranda is beyond mortified. And even more shocked when the duke returns her note with one of his own that initiates a courtship-by-mail. Insecurity about her lack of suitors shifts into confusion at her growing feelings for two men--one she's never met but whose words deeply resonate with her heart, and one she has come to depend on but whose behavior is more and more suspicious. When it becomes apparent state secrets are at risk and Marcus is right in the thick of the conflict, one thing is certain: Miranda's heart is far from all that's at risk for the Hawthornes and those they love.

My Review:

Thrilled me to my toes. I adore Regency novels -- but Regency novels full of tongue-in-cheek humour is in a category all its own. Stupendous. And not the genteel laughter kind of humour -- more like the snorting guffaw kind. Very unladylike. Miranda's mother would so not approve, but I snorted and chuckled my way through A Noble Masquerade with complete abandon.

This is the kind of book that you want to make last. I found myself putting it aside in order to savor the delight of the read. I'd play over a scene, twist it around in my mind, imagine where the plot was heading and only when I couldn't stand the suspense any longer, I'd pick up the book and start reading again. It took my three days to read this book. Three days!!!!! (says the woman who usually reads a book a day.)

Captivating plot, delicious intrigue, and an endearing, funny, outlandish romance that will keep you alternately laughing and swooning -- honestly, what more could you want in a story?

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of A Noble Masquerade please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email address, please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in the address to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so that it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday September 27 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

September Giveaway - Week Three

As always, I will contact the winners by email however thanks to the nefarious ways of the Internet my email might land in your spam folder so keep your eyes peeled! :-) If you haven't heard from me by Monday evening please email me your snail mail address at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca From time to time winners and I don't seem to connect, so I have a month time frame. If I can't reach you within four weeks your win will be forfeited.

LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK'S GIVEAWAYS:

Forgiven

GIVEAWAY

GRAY, SHELLEY SHEPARD
FORGIVEN

Tragedy strikes­—a brother and sister find themselves facing a situation that will shape the rest of their lives.

When a fire destroys the Lundys' barn, Winnie is injured trying to get the animals to safety. Confined to a hospital for weeks, out of touch with her loved ones who live too far away to visit by buggy, she must depend on Englisher Samuel Miller to keep her company. Though his family is part of Winnie's tight-knit Amish community, Samuel left years earlier to pursue a university education. Through conversations, and Samuel's dedication to her recovery, a friendship forms. But despite their growing attraction, Winnie knows it can never develop into something more as long as Samuel chooses to remain in the outside world.

My Review:

Originally published in 2009, Forgiven is the concluding book in the Sisters of the Heart series - one of my favourites by this author. And probably contains the most powerful testimony of forgiveness I've ever read. Simple but profound, a perfect illustration of the healing peace forgiveness can bring.

This book reads well as a standalone but fans of the series will enjoy meeting up with Katie and Jonathan (Wanted) and Anna and Henry (Hidden). Gray has done a fantastic job of meshing their stories along with Winnie and Sam's.

There's plenty of drama and angst and enough emotional wrestling to make tender hearts ache, but I felt a sense of euphoria at the end. Gray's storytelling just has that affect on me. Another incredible series by an amazing author.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of Forgiven please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email address, please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in the address to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so that it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday September 20 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Rough Road Home

GIVEAWAY

HARDERS, AUDRA
ROUGH ROAD HOME

Rachel Hill, a burned out stockbroker, realizes she’s sacrificed too much for her career and is searching for God’s direction in her life. Champion bull rider, Nick Davidson, reasons God abandoned him first, so what’s the point of seeking Christ’s will in his life? When Nick suffers a concussion, the road trip to the next rodeo becomes the ride of a lifetime for Rachel and Nick. Secrets revealed; lies exposed. Can the power of love heal even these deepest wounds?

My Review:

Take one brash (and injured) cowboy, add one burnt out stockbroker, put them in the cab of a pickup truck and send them on a road trip with a few catastrophes thrown in for good measure and what do you get? The perfect recipe for an amazingly funny, feisty, feel-good crazy kind of read. I LOVE Rough Road Home!

Have to admit to being partial for a good stick-foot-in-mouth first meet -- especially when it's at the expense of the hero. And this one is a doozy. Nick just keeps chomping on that foot making the first time he meets Rachel one gigantic comedic mess. When she's finally had enough she neatly puts him in his place: "Forgive me, I forgot I was talking to a bull rider who couldn't tell the difference between a come-on and a come-along if it jumped up and bit him in the seat of his Wranglers."

Nick is  truly swoonworthy -- in that macho, know-it-all, ornery, proud, COWBOY kind of way. We'll give him some grace since he's just been bested by a crazy bull and is worse for wear and stupefied on painkillers. Snort. There are so many great lines in this book, I could quote the whole thing.

Rachel isn't about to let Nick cow her. She maintains that bull riders have mush for brains. No two people are less suited for each other than Rachel and Nick. Let the games begin!

She's just spent some time getting her priorities straight, including her faith. He's given up on God and doesn't set much stock in hope and trust either. They both have gross misconceptions about the other based on erroneous snap decisions which leads them to constantly leap to wrong conclusions. The result? Snappy dialogue that zips this story along at such a fun pace.

A touching, funny captivating read.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

Please note: this book is only available in ebook format.

If you would like an opportunity to win an ecopy of Rough Road Home please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email address, please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in the address to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so that it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday September 20 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Rekindling the Widower's Heart

GIVEAWAY

KAYE, GLYNNA
REKINDLING THE WIDOWER'S HEART

A future to build on...

All widower Luke Hunter wants is to raise his three kids -- and be left alone. When Delaney Marks arrives in town to oversee the youth group's house renovation project, Luke decides he must come out of hiding. He's worried she's too young to get the job done. He'll have to keep a close watch on her -- and on his heart. Because being with the vibrant girl makes it easy to forget their age difference and to start hoping for a future he doesn't deserve. As tensions rise over project pressures, Delaney tries to make Luke see that some things are just out of his control -- and that he is worthy of happiness...with her.  

My Review:

Gah! Luke Hunter is clueless. Really. Clueless. He's so invested in controlling everything that he doesn't recognize the damage he's doing to himself -- and his children. Argh, I wanted to throttle him. A lot. But at the same time I felt sorry for him because the more he tries to take control the more things unravel beyond his grasp.

Unwittingly, Delaney is at the heart of that unraveling. Sparks sizzle between the two from their very first meet but Luke is in major denial. He has lots of excuses, not the least of which is their age difference. But really, he's just piling up barriers -- a defence mechanism he's completely unaware of. At first.

That leaves Delaney in a constant state of confusion, trying to work through the mixed messages she's receiving from Luke. She's not afraid to go at it with him -- toe to toe. Speaking her mind. Standing her ground. And she calls him on his judgemental views more than a time or two. 

In case you think I didn't like Luke, you're wrong. I liked him. Too much. So when he did something...stupid...I wasn't just a little disappointed. I was really disappointed. But isn't that so like real life? People build their lives around past hurts and perceived failures. They'll do incomprehensible things to protect themselves and their loved ones from any more harm.

The only solution to such a heartbreaking dilemma is to let God take control. That's a hard lesson for both Luke and Delaney to learn...and for me too, because in some ways I'm like Luke. Fussing and holding onto things I should have let go a long time ago. Come to think of it, that similarity is probably why I wanted to throttle Luke so much. :-)

Love when I find sweet nuggets of inspiration amidst my fiction!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of Rekindling the Widower's Heart please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email address, please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in the address to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so that it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday September 20 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

The Sweetest Rain

GIVEAWAY

JOHNSON, MYRA
THE SWEETEST RAIN

As the drought of 1930 burns crops to a crisp, Bryony Linwood dreams of cooling winter snows and the life she would have had if Daddy hadn’t been killed in the Great War and Mama hadn’t moved Bryony and her sisters to their grandfather’s struggling tenant farm in tiny Eden, Arkansas. Now Mama’s gone, too, and as times grow tougher, Bryony will do whatever it takes to ensure her family’s survival.

 Michael Heath barely survived the war, and twelve years later all he wants to do is forget. A virtual recluse, his one passion is botanical illustration. Lost in the diversity of nature’s beauty, he finds escape from a troubled past and from his wealthy father’s continual pressure to take an interest in the family plantation.

  When Bryony accepts employment at the Heath mansion, it’s just a job at first, a means to ward off destitution until the drought ends and Grandpa’s farm is prosperous again. But Bryony’s forced optimism and dogged determination disguise a heart as dry and despairing as the scorched earth . . . until she discovers Michael Heath and his beautiful botanical illustrations. As their relationship deepens, friendship soon blossoms into healing for wounded souls and a love that can’t be denied.

My Review:

I have to admit to a fascination with stories set during the Depression era and there just aren't enough of them out there. In The Sweetest Rain, drought-stricken Arkansas takes on a personality all its own. It makes for a gritty read at times, but also for an awe-inspiring one. And that's because these characters are more than survivors. Somehow they find a way to flourish in the midst of impossible odds.

Take Bryony. She's endured so many losses in her life. Dealing with a failing farm in the middle of the worst drought in history is almost more than she can cope with. Feelings of responsibility towards
her grandfather and her sisters keep her from surrendering to despair. She faces the impossible every day -- and wins by sheer grit and determination.

At a glance you might think Michael is the pampered son of a wealthy man. After all he's still living under his parents' roof. But take a closer look and you'll see a wounded soldier who can't quite shake the horrors of war. Shell shock is what they called it back then and Michael's coping strategy is seclusion...until Bryony.

And here's the incredible strength to their love story -- they both have what the other wants most. Bryony hungers for life-sustaining basics like food and security. The lack of both is constantly gnawing at her. Michael has a less tangible hunger -- he yearns for love and family. Acceptance and support. The way Johnson meshes these needs, merges their worlds and brings them together is truly
astounding.

Compelling secondary characters flesh out the story, bringing depth and no shortage of surprises to the plot. A complicated, emotional read about learning how to let go of the past in order to grab hold of the future.
 
GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of The Sweetest Rain please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email address, please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in the address to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so that it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday September 20 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Refuge of the Heart

GIVEAWAY

HERNE, RUTH LOGAN
REFUGE OF THE HEART

District Attorney Mitchell Sanderson wanted for nothing and lost everything in a tragic accident. A dogged worker, Mitch’s conviction rate earned him respect and trust. Now up for re-election, Mitch’s law-and-order persona makes him a shoo-in candidate. But when faith, conscience and love of a troubled refugee ripple the smooth waters of his existence, can Mitch risk everything for love?

Magdalena Serida fought her way out of the terrors of a government-quelled insurgent uprising in Chechnya. The church-sponsored refugee knows the horrors of war first-hand. Now in America with her five-year-old sister, Lena is uncertain who to trust. Her Christian faith has maintained her through the loss of her family, but when Mitch Sanderson shows interest, Lena longs to take a chance. Should she open herself up to this man of law and order, a man who imprisons women like her? Or slip quietly back into the shadowed fringe of anonymity?

My Review:

Herne ripped my heart out and stomped all over it during this read. It's back in place now, but still tender and fuller somehow, like the Grinch's heart that grew three sizes too big. Because that's the kind of read this is -- transforming. Opens your eyes and your heart, fills you with compassion. Urges you to walk a little taller, be a whole lot kinder and leave judgements up to God.

As a priest tells Magdalena: "But Lena, child, we're never alone...Our actions and those of others entwine. Each candle that's lit, each ripple in the sea, changes the world around us." (p.262) Refuge of the Heart changed my world and I'm sure its ripple effect will be felt for some time to come.

Lena is easy to love, to worry about, to hurt for. She bears herself with a quiet dignity that masks the agony of a dark past. Tenacious, determined, devoted to her little sister, she's trying to look ahead to a better future. One that doesn't include a man -- especially a District Attorney.

Mitch is a complicated and sometimes contradictory hero. Set the swoon meter to overload because his measured pursuit of Lena is a toe-curling delight. But, as in all her books, Herne doesn't shy away from the grit of realism. Characters lives are messy, they are honest products of their upbringing and life experience. That makes them act in ways that will test a gentle reader's heart. I actually closed the book and set it aside at one point. Washed my floors and cleaned the bathroom so I could avoid picking it up again and all the while my throat burned and my chest felt like it was in a vice-grip.

 I alternately wept copious tears and cheered myself hoarse over the course of this novel. Stunning and compelling and definitely unforgettable.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of Refuge of the Heart please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email address, please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in the address to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so that it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday September 20 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Christmas in Hiding

GIVEAWAY

NOLAN, CATE
CHRISTMAS IN HIDING

Christmas in witness protection

After her ex-boyfriend's murder, Callie Martin has no choice but to trade her quiet life as a kindergarten teacher for the witness protection program. It's US Marshal Jackson Walker's job to keep Callie safe, but the men who would do her harm just keep getting closer and closer. Either someone on the inside is betraying Callie, or she's lying to Jackson about her involvement. So he decides to go off the grid, spiriting her away to the remote Vermont countryside at Christmas. Jackson wants to trust her, but with danger dogging their every move, he'll have to use all his energy to keep her alive.

My Review:

Cate Nolan brings a fresh, vibrant voice to the Love Inspired Suspense line up in this debut Christmas novel.

I could totally relate to Callie. She has this child-like exuberance that can't be squelched for long. And it's contagious -- even though Jackson tries so valiantly to guard against it. Love how her faith sustains her. She has realistic reactions to the terrifying situations she finds herself in but she also has the ability to regroup and find things to appreciate during the most difficult times. "You could build a life snatching small moments like these so long as you took the time to appreciate them and give thanks." (p.97)

That optimism keeps Jackson off-kilter. Callie draws him in despite all his efforts to remain professionally aloof. In fact, you might say Jackson is the Grinch to Callie's Cindy Lou Who. He's a hyper vigilant grouch running on fumes but he can't help appreciating Callie's resiliency. And he's reluctant to admit it comes from her faith. I adored watching him slowly melt under the force of her infectious personality.

Christmas in witness protection doesn't sound very festive -- especially when you're running for your life -- but Nolan does an amazing job of infusing the Christmas spirit into every aspect of this story. In fact, the season almost takes on the persona of a secondary character and that made this read so much fun! Honestly, the best mix of Christmas and romantic suspense ever!!!!!

Action-packed and heart-warming. A holiday read to remember.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of Christmas in Hiding please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email address, please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in the address to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so that it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday September 20 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

September Giveaway - Week Two

As always, I will contact the winners by email however thanks to the nefarious ways of the Internet my email might land in your spam folder so keep your eyes peeled! :-) If you haven't heard from me by Monday evening please email me your snail mail address at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca From time to time winners and I don't seem to connect, so I have a month time frame. If I can't reach you within four weeks your win will be forfeited.

LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK'S GIVEAWAYS: